


Vappy Halentines

by bioloyg



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alcohol Mentions, Alternate universe - canon divergent, Angst, Cheating, Hurt/Comfort, Love, M/M, Magic!Stiles, Mutual Pining, Pranks, Valetine's day, Werewolves are still a thing, derek and stiles are oblivious, drunk!Stiles, sterek, valentines fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-13
Updated: 2015-02-14
Packaged: 2018-03-12 03:51:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 18,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3342620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bioloyg/pseuds/bioloyg
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Derek woke in the morning to a note on his table and the sound of the front door clicking shut. He blinked, scrubbing a hand over his face, and grabbed the paper. "Hey, thanks for letting me sleep over last night. I appreciate you coming to get me, too. I promise I’m not always a crying drunk, btw. Also, thanks for the clothes, but don’t think it escaped my notice that this was my shirt anyway." Derek smiled fondly and kept reading. "Don’t tell the others about Ethan. I’ll tell them myself."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. What a homecoming

**Author's Note:**

> Lmaoooo, this is the first fic I ever posted and it's a genuine mess (a pleasant one, but a mess nonetheless) SO, when I finish rewriting it I'm gonna make it a oneshot and leave it at that.
> 
> Happy reading!

So, his boyfriend was a cheater. His boyfriend of almost a year and a half was a god damn cheating son of a – he’s a cheater, that’s all that matters. Honestly, how hard is it to just say, ‘hey I don’t really think we’re working out’? Not hard at all. Stiles would have much rather heard that then find out he had been second fiddle _on **Valentine’s Day.**_

Stiles had just gotten into Beacon Hills that Friday. It was one of those perfect years where Valentine’s Day was on the weekend, so he figured he’d come back from his trip early and surprise his boyfriend instead of the Skype date Ethan had planned. And _that_ should have said it all. It wasn’t like Stiles was that far from Beacon Hills. He was an hour and a half away, tops. So while the infidelity was a shot to his ego and heart, Stiles couldn’t say he was 100% surprised. I mean really, a Skype date when the distance was 70 miles at most?

~

“Are you fucking kidding me!?” Stiles roared. He grabbed pillow after pillow and launched them all at Ethan.

“How long? How fucking long?”

“Stiles, I can explain!” Ethan grabbed one of the pillows and covered himself.

“Oh like fucking hell you can!” Stiles rounded on the other man, “You.” The poor guy flinched and Stiles took a deep breath to try and dial it back for a moment, “Did you or did you not know about me?”

He shook his head frantically, green coloring his face, “No – I. He said he just got out of a bad breakup. I had no idea, I swear.” _Oh I’ll show you a motherfucking bad breakup._

That. That made Stiles even more furious. He was **_so_** giving Ethan some goddamn warts when he got home. He whipped back towards the offending cheat, “You emotionally manipulative dumpster fucking **asshole!** ” He turned back to the other wronged party, “Not you, sorry.” Ethan blanched, basically backed into a corner and Stiles crept closer, “Ethan, I swear to god, tell me how long or I’m calling Erica.”

He reeled backwards, eyes widening in horror, “I-I…… Four months.”

Stiles bit down on the sob that threatened to escape him. “Four months? _Four months_? Did it ever occur to you to just fucking cut ties with me if this was too god damn much for you?”

“Stiles I swear I didn’t mean to hurt you I just – it was a moment of weakness. I missed you so much and – “

“Oh shut the fuck up, Ethan. Shut up. Fucking four months isn’t a moment of weakness, it’s continued betrayal. And this guy didn’t even know. How the fuck do you sleep at night?” Stiles was grabbing his things from the drawers and stuffing them into a bag.

“Hey well it’s not exactly easy when you block me out all the time, and – and you’re always with your friends or out of town for business!”

He froze, anger bubbling up inside of him, coloring his face crimson. The bag fell with a thud and Stiles rounded on Ethan, slapping him square across the cheek. “Don’t. You. DARE make this seem like it was _my_ fault you cheated. You could have broken up with me at any time this became an inconvenience to you. I spend time with my friends because they’re like my _family_. I am so glad I never even thought to choose you over them because it turns out you were never worth it to begin with.” Stiles picked up the bag he was stuffing his clothes into and pulled the strap over his head so both his hands were free and cornered Ethan, “I’ll be back to get the rest of my things later. How you choose to act when I leave determines who I bring with me, and honestly, your options aren’t looking that great.” With that Stiles pushed him away, hard.

The other man had managed to get dressed in all of that and clumsily stumbled out after Stiles, “Wait, hey!”

Stiles sighed as he shoved his bag into the back of his jeep, “Yeah?”

The guy brushed his hand over the back of his head, smiling sheepishly, “For what it’s worth I never would’ve cheated on someone like you.”

That earned him a very stunned silence. Finally Stiles replied, “Thanks. I think.”

The guy bowed his head and turned away to his own car. Ethan was now standing in his doorway with sweats on, looking for all of the world like he wanted to say something. Stiles just flipped him off and climbed in the jeep, speeding off before another word could be said. 

~

Drunk. Stiles was very drunk. And crying. His bartender seemed to be at a loss and gently patted his back. “Hun, do you want me to call someone to pick you up?”

He rose his head and ran his forearm across his face to wipe away the snot and tears. Hiccupping, he spoke, “N-no. They’re all out **with their boyfriends or girlfriends**.” Stiles broke into a sob again and laid his head back down. This was easily the worst Valentine’s Day ever.

“Come on, I’m sure there’s someone who would be willing to pick you up.”

He kept his head down and mumbled into his sleeves, “There’s only one person and I don’t want him to see me like this.” Stiles’ ego was bruised enough as it was, he didn’t need an “I told you so” from Derek on top of it all.

“Well, I don’t want you heading home alone. Sheriff wouldn’t like that.”

Stiles sat up with a frown, “How’d you know I was his son?”

The woman smiled as she dried a cup, “Sweet pea, he used to hand out pictures when you were underage so we wouldn’t serve you.”

He smiled at that. Maybe he could get his dad to hand out pictures of stupid Ethan so the bartenders would spit in his drinks. Stiles sighed heavily and pressed his glass, now filled only with ice, against his head. He was harboring a nasty headache from all the crying.

“C’mon. Who am I calling? Or do you want your father to pick you up?” Stiles paled at the thought and she must have caught it because she amended, “Not as a threat, honey, I mean, do you want to talk to him about this right now?”

Stiles shook his head and pulled his phone from his pocket, he had turned it off right about the time Ethan grew a conscience and started leaving apology messages. He turned the phone over in his hands and started tearing up again at the thought, slow sobs being punched from his body.

The bartender frowned and rested her hand over his, “Do you want me to call for you?”

Stiles nodded and let his head fall back down into his arms.

“Who am I calling?”

“D-Derek,” it was hard to say between all the hiccups.

The bartender hummed and dialed, sighing when it went to voicemail the first time but winning out the second time around. “Hey, are you a friend of Stiles?”

Stiles snorted at that.

“No no – he’s fine. Well, sort of. Bad breakup. He’s wasted, more or less, and he needs a ride home.”

Stiles rubbed at his eyes and tried his best to stop crying. He didn’t have the water in his system to waste.

“The Ruby Scarab.” Ah, so Derek was asking where he was.

“Yeah, okay. I’ll keep an eye on him.”

Stiles huffed out a sigh, air still catching in his throat every once in a while, and smiled weakly at the bartender before taking his phone back. “Thank you.”

She smiled back and rested her hand on his shoulder, “No problem, kid.” She turned away and came back with a glass of water and two aspirin, “Here, drink up.”

He nodded, took the water, and chugged.


	2. Dateless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek POV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Should be switching POV between Derek and Stiles for each chapter.

So that date had been a disaster. No particular reason why, either. It was just genuinely unenjoyable. Heather was disinterested at best, cold and tactless at her worst. She was a lot like Derek, actually. But that wasn’t what he needed. He needed someone soft where he was hard. That was all. Heather was as hard and colorless as a diamond. She had no shared interests, or interests at all for that matter, and about as much personality as a spec of dust in an abandoned home. To top it all off she had a piercing gaze that made him feel like he was under the scrutiny of his third grade teacher all over again.

Heather seemed to share his sentiment and apologized for her lack of interest. She even offered to foot half of the bill, but if there was one thing Derek could at least give her it was to get out of the date free of charge. She smiled weakly and shook his hand before leaving, ever so businesslike, but Derek wasn’t a business and this wasn’t a sales meeting.

He sighed as he walked towards his Camaro, phone buzzing in his pocket. He ignored it in favor of self-pity for a moment, phone still buzzing incessantly at his side when he had finished. He pulled the phone out, grumbling at the disturbance, freezing when he saw Stiles’ name.

_Speaking of disinterested relationship interests._ “What is it?”

An unfamiliar voice prodded on the other end asking if he was a friend of the aforementioned.

The uptick in his heart was embarrassingly audible and he thanked the moon that he was alone, “Yes. Is he alright? Did something happen to him?”

“No no – he’s fine. Well, sort of. Bad breakup. He’s wasted, more or less, and he needs a ride home.”

He sighed in relief somewhat after asking where he was and then grumbled something to the woman about keeping him there and being on his way.

~

When Derek walked in he could only focus on one thing: the thick, choking, presence of sadness that clung to every bit of the air. It wasn’t the usual tinge that stained the bars he frequented so often. He tracked the movements in the bar and stopped at a shape piled onto the counter, shaking and crying. Derek frowned, eyes flashing red.

He walked steadily to Stiles’ side and cleared his throat, not wanting to touch, not knowing if his presence was welcome, but god did he hope he was. Stiles was wearing slacks that hugged him in all the right ways and he had a blood red button up on with the sleeves rolled up. If he _was_ welcome this would be a very different Valentine’s Day.

Stiles tensed at the sound of Derek beside him and shot up, wiping his face. He smiled, eyes puffy and red, cheeks stained with tears, “Heyyyyy. How’s it going?”

Derek rolled his eyes and raised his eyebrows, although it was hard not to frown outright. Grief was pouring off of the witch like there was no tomorrow. “What’s wrong?”

Stiles’ face fell and tears welled up in his eyes. He turned away and cleared his throat, “Nothing.”

“Stiles.”

He turned back, still not quite facing Derek, “I don’t –“ a hiccup, “I don’t want to talk about it right now.” He shuddered and he shook his head before gasping for air.

Derek nodded and grabbed Stiles’ coat. He grunted thanks to the bartender and led Stiles out, hand pressed firmly between his shoulder blades, the muscles relaxing under his touch and the sadness subsiding momentarily. “Thank you – for picking me up.” The acrid taste hung in the air once more as he added, “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

Derek stopped and sighed, “Stiles, it’s fine. I didn’t exactly have Valentine’s plans.”

He frowned at Derek questioningly, “Still, it’s Saturday night and I’m sure you had at least planned things out a little differently than _this_.” Stiles gestured to his face and huffed before falling into the passenger seat, head tilted upward at the roof of the car.

Derek climbed in after him, “I was spending Valentine’s Day alone. I can’t say I’m terribly upset about having company now.”

“Wish the circumstances were different.” Stiles mumbled.

Derek nodded in agreement. _Me too._

~

Stiles had made it clear, or rather, Derek had coaxed it out of him, that he didn’t _really_ want to be left alone tonight. He still didn’t quite know what exactly had happened to make Stiles so upset, but by the smell of him he knew it was pretty awful, and that had his hackles raised constantly. He was itching to figure out what Ethan did that had hurt the witch so badly.

Said witch was currently curled up on Derek’s couch crying silently. The last words he had heard were a very angry “Stop calling!” before Stiles threw his phone somewhere across the room.

Derek tip-toed into the living room, hot tea in hand, and offered it out to Stiles. Bleary eyed, he sat up and took the mug, smiling small as he drank it. “Do you want to talk about it?”

The smell of sharp anxiety that rose from him said no but Stiles spoke anyway, “I –“ he sighed, “You remember Ethan?”

A growl almost escaped him, he never did like Ethan, but that was mostly because of the jealousy, now it was because he broke Stiles’ heart. “Yes.”

Stiles frowned, sorrow seeping from his pores again, “He uh, he cheated… on me.” Tears plopped onto Stiles’ cheek from his clumped up eyelashes.

Derek’s eyes bled red, “He did **_what_**?”

Stiles sighed, rubbing his eyes again, “I came home to surprise him and I caught him in bed with someone else.” He wrapped his shaky hands around the mug again and took another sip before continuing, “Four months, Derek. He was cheating on me for four months.”

Derek was going to have to patch up the holes in his sofa later. He retracted his claws and huffed, “Do you want me to slash his tires?” Derek wanted to do a lot more than slash his tires.

A sharp bark of laughter bubbled up from Stiles and the misery was cloaked briefly by a smile, “No, no. I figured I’d give him warts on his junk and then give my dad his plates.” He shook his head and drank his tea.

Derek stood and shoved his hands into his pockets, at a loss for what else to say, all he wanted to do was wrap himself around Stiles and take his pain. That kind of pain wasn’t something he could leech away though. Instead he settled for helping Stiles with his headache, trying and failing, not to enjoy the way Stiles leaned into his touch, humming softly as the pain subsided.

“You can stay the night… If you want.” Derek tamped down on his wolf before adding, “The guest bed is made.”

Stiles looked up at him, something like curiosity shading his face, “You have a guest bedroom now, huh?”

Derek rolled his eyes, “Yes, you were the one who said I should make it a guest room.”

A small smile crept across his lips, “Yeah. I remember.”

Derek grinned softly at the witch and left. He came back with a pair of sweatpants and a shirt, which he was pretty sure belonged to Stiles anyway. He paused, looking up to find Stiles staring at him pensively. He quirked an eyebrow up in response but all Stiles did was open his mouth and close it, twice. Finally he stood and took the clothes in Derek’s hands, “Thanks.”

Derek nodded and brushed it off; the shirt was his anyway.

Still, Stiles stood there, seemingly waiting for something, but before Derek could speak long strong arms were wrapped around him tightly. Stiles rested his head on his shoulder and inhaled deeply, “I mean it. Thank you.” Then the witch let go and bounded up the stairs, searing touch still ghosting across Derek’s skin.

~

Derek woke in the morning to a note on his table and the sound of the front door clicking shut. He blinked, scrubbing a hand over his face, and grabbed the paper. _Hey, thanks for letting me sleep over last night. I appreciate you coming to get me, too. I promise I’m not always a crying drunk, btw. Also, thanks for the clothes, but don’t think it escaped my notice that this was my shirt anyway._ Derek smiled fondly and kept reading. _Don’t tell the others about Ethan. I’ll tell them myself. Also, I changed my mind. You can totally slash his tires. You know the drill, make it look like an accident etc. etc._

Stiles wasn’t usually one for revenge but Derek was secretly glad he made an exception. He was going to hurt Ethan regardless, but having it be Stiles’ decision made it better somehow. Smelling hurt on Stiles once a year, around the anniversary of his mother’s death, was enough. Last night was unforgiveable.


	3. Chapter 3

Stiles had woken up feeling surprisingly refreshed. Granted, he still felt a little stale and was nursing a mild hangover, but he still felt… _calm_. That was probably thanks to Derek. While Stiles had slept in a guest room bed he felt like he was sleeping on a cloud. Derek spared no expense when he rebuilt his home, and that was a queen sized memory foam mattress that hugged his ass into submission last night.

In a show of gratitude he wrote a note and crept into Derek’s room just before 8 a.m. Stiles wasn’t expecting to see a completely unguarded expression cast over the wolf’s features. He didn’t even know Derek’s face could relax enough to allow whatever _that_ was. He looked soft and vulnerable and something about the image made Stiles’ heart ache, but in a whole new way. It made Stiles hope that one day he could look at someone like this every morning, brush their hair with his fingers, kiss their forehead. He longed for the domesticity of it all, something he never had with Ethan, something he never would.

He shoved the feeling aside and left the note on the bedside table and paused, sinister thought coming to mind. He took his phone from his pocket – it had taken him twenty minutes to find that last night – and snapped a picture of the sleeping wolf for posterity. _Proof that you can be content every once in a while Sourwolf._ He smiled at the picture and darted as Derek began to rouse. 

~

*Ding ding*

Stiles quirked an eyebrow at his phone, half expecting _yet another_ text from Ethan only to be met with a message from Derek. He checked over his shoulder half expecting to see him but found nothing. He pursed his lips, took a sip of his coffee, and opened the message. He nearly choked on his coffee at the sight of _slashed. tires._

“He did it. He actually did it, holy shit.” Stiles looked over his shoulder once more and then stared back down at his phone in awe. “Oh my god.”

Another chime startled him as he silently smiled, thinking of ways to ruin Ethan’s day. **_Delete the picture you took of me this morning_** _._ Stiles cringed, face losing all its color. How did he even know? It wasn’t like – **_You came in my room while I was sleeping. I know you took one._** Hmm, so maybe he did know.

 

SS: I didn’t take one. Also, did you seriously get his tires? Did you do this because you thought I took a pic of you?

**DH: _No, and should we be discussing this over text?_**

SS: You’re the one who sent the picture

**DH: _That could be anyone’s tires._**

**DH: _You wrote a note._**

**DH: _Fingerprints_** _._

SS: Oh whatever. Like they’d throw me in jail

**DH: _Delete the picture._**

SS: No

**DH: _I’ll do it myself_**

SS: What if I’ve already saved them somewhere else, or sent them to Erica?

**DH: _One, that would be creepy, two, I’d know about it by now._**

SS: Whatever, you used to sneak into my room through my window.

 

Stiles found himself smiling, which seemed wrong given the circumstances of the past twenty-four hours. He bit down the urge to vomit as the thought of Ethan fucking him after having sex with another man came to mind, then he really did gag when he remembered he still had to grab his things. Facing Ethan was not going to be easy. Then again, he could always wait until Ethan was at work on Monday. He _had_ taken a little extra time off for sexy times with his boyfriend. Lot of good that had done him.

He sighed, head in his hand, and looked out the window at the people passing on the sidewalk, chatter between the pairs making him grow just a tad bitter. He had spent so much time in high school facing demons, hunters, wolves, _whatever_ , and he was great at it. Great at solving mysteries. Yet somehow he couldn’t even see that his boyfriend was sneaking around behind his back. Lying right to his face. He had _really_ lost his touch when he moved away for his Bachelor’s. But he was back now, and he was going to prove how great his mind still was.

Stiles stirred his coffee with a finger absentmindedly and thought about all the things he could do to make Ethan’s life miserable. He wasn’t really a revenge kind of guy when he was the one being wronged. His friends took care of that for him, not that he wanted them to, but this was different. It wasn’t like he’d been maimed, although Scott would say otherwise, quoting something cheesy about his broken heart. This was personal on the deepest of levels.

That was another thing. Stiles’ heart didn’t seem to be broken. The betrayal was a stab, sure, but there was an odd flush of relief that almost made him feel… happy. He supposed that was because he had been cheated on, but still. He sighed, took another sip of his coffee, and frowned at the tears that had fallen from his face at some point during his internal monologue. So maybe his heart was a little broken

_~_

“ **HE DID WHAT?** ” Stiles could practically see Scott wolfing out on the other end. “I am gonna kick him in the nuts so hard they’re gonna be in his throat.”

Stiles smiled softly. Friends willing to do bodily harm for him was weird at first but fast became something he appreciated. “Nah, don’t do that. He’s not really worth it.”

“His lack of worth is the exact reason I’m gonna do it, Stiles.”

His heart fluttered, man it was good to be loved. “No, hear me out, Scotty. Prank war. I want to make his life miserable. But I want to drag this out. Four months of slow agonizing torture for my four months.”

“Hmm.” He almost sounded impressed. “What did you have in mind?”

“A couple of things, but I need to make this good. I need the others for this. Lydia is horrifying when it comes to revenge, so I want her. Some girl at Berkeley tried to accuse her of cheating one year and I’m pretty sure that girl didn’t come back the next semester. And Danny, he can help with cameras. I want every moment of his discomfort on camera.”

Scott sounded like he was moving papers, “Sounds good. Have you told them yet?”

“No, you’re the second person I’ve told.”

“Well, we better get started. I – wait. Second?”

Stiles froze, wow, yeah that was even weirder to hear repeated. Scott was always the first to be told anything. “Uh, yeah. Sorry. I told Derek last night.”

“ _Derek_?”

“Yeah, I mean, he picked me up at the bar. I was a mess and the bartender wasn’t going to let me leave alone and I didn’t want to mess up your night out with Allison and Isaac, so I called Derek. I figured he wasn’t going to be out.”

Scott was humming aggravatedly and then clicking at his phone screen, “Derek had a date, too.”

 _Wait – WHAT?_ “He said he didn’t have plans. He said he was home alone. Oh my god, I ruined his night. I can’t believe he didn’t - ”

“Stiles, shut up,” his friend sighed, “You’re pack, he’s the alpha of said pack, you’re more important to him than a date.”

Stiles was trying really hard not to read into that. Really hard. “Yeah, yeah sure, you’re right. Still kinda feel like a jerk for assuming he didn’t have a date on Valentine’s.”

“Well you obviously meant more than said date.”

Stiles narrowed his eyes, “ _Scott_ , what are you saying?”

Scott let out a huff of breath, “Nothing.”

“Uh huh. Anyway. I’ll see you guys tomorrow, my place.”

“Okay. Is Derek coming?”

Stiles bit at his bottom lip, “I don’t know.”

“You know he’s going to find out about the meeting anyway.”

Stiles tapped at the table, “Yeah.”

“Well, I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

Stiles nodded, unseen, “See ya.”

He clicked end and stared at the wall. This Derek business was an interesting development and he was totally going to call Derek out on his lie. Joking around about someone other than himself was something that he needed right now. He needed light hearted.


	4. Chapter 4

He heard the Jeep pulling up long before the knock on the door came. Years of conditioning from the pack had taught him not to wait by the door or open it before the other had a chance. So, when the knock finally came he opened the door and was welcomed by a smug looking Stiles with a mischievous glint in his eyes. Sad how that was somehow a turn-on for him. He cleared his throat and quirked up an eyebrow, “Did you forget something here?”

Stiles brushed past him, hands clasped behind his back, “No. Just wanted to stop by. Thank you for yesterday and for slashing Ethan’s tires.”

Derek snorted, “My pleasure.”

Stiles was calculating, eyeing him closely. This look was very different from Heather’s though. It was appraising, almost. “So, Scott told me something today.”

Derek walked to the kitchen, grabbing a glass before opening the fridge, “And what was that?”

Stiles hopped onto a stool and rested his elbows on the island counter. “He told me… that you had a date on Valentine’s Day.”

Derek froze momentarily but quickly resumed, closing the door to pour his juice. He had barely nodded, but he knew Stiles caught it.

“Now, why would you, someone who very rarely dates unless it’s worth his time and effort, cancel yours to come pick up little ol’ drunk me?”

Oh Derek had plenty of answers for that. ‘ _Because I love you_.’ Or ‘ _Because Heather was weird and it was a blind date_.’ Instead he went with, “You’re pack. I didn’t want you drunkenly maiming yourself.”

Stile drummed his fingers across the countertop and narrowed his eyes, “Mhmmm. So who was it?”

Derek sighed and deposited the juice in the fridge, “Who was what?”

“Your date, duh.”

“Nobody.”

“I know your dating life is practically a myth but I hardly doubt you’re dating Nobody.”

Derek groaned. Stiles’ jokes were the worst. “Let me rephrase. None of your business.”

Something peaked in the witch’s scent. Sharp and tangy, maybe even a little bit bitter, “Oh? So is it someone I know?” He bounced in his seat before Derek pinned him with a nasty glare. “Oh save it. Now I know you’re probably a softy.”

Derek sighed and left the witch alone in the kitchen in favor of the living room. Stiles scrambled to follow.

“Wait so is it? Did you wine and dine them? Buy them flowers?”

“Leave it Stiles.” He turned only to be met by a curled lip and pleading look.

“Pleeeease. I promise I won’t tell the others.”

“The others already know.”

Stiles’ face scrunched up, “Why the hell did no one tell me? Why didn’t **you** say anything? You really didn’t have to pick me up, dude. I didn’t mean to ruin your night.”

Derek set his glass down on a coaster before turning to him, “Don’t call me dude.” Stiles rolled his eyes. “They already knew because it was a blind date. You didn’t ruin anything Stiles, really. You’re pack. And your welfare is more important than any date I could’ve been on. Besides, it was over when you called.”

Stiles’ cheeks were dusted pink and he cleared his throat, “Bad date?”

Derek nodded, turning back before powering up the TV, “Something like that.”

“So why’d you go? I mean – I don’t take you for being the blind date type.”

Derek rested his head back against the couch and stared at the ceiling.“S’tired of being alone.”

Something quiet yet strangled came from Stiles’ mouth. When he faced him again he was met with something serious and almost imploring. He sat on the couch next to Derek and smiled weakly, “Thanks.”

Derek raised an eyebrow, “For?”

Stiles shrugged and stole the remote, smiling wickedly as Derek reached for it, playfully jabbing him back to his side.

~

Erica swished the wine in its glass and stared Derek down, “So what are you gonna do with Ethan?”

They had all just gotten back from the third meeting at Stiles’ place. Each one of them plotting severe bodily harm. Stiles wouldn’t let them though; he was intent on only tampering with property. When the betas had groaned, and Derek too admittedly, he told them that he, “maybekindaalreadyhithimintheface.” Erica had cackled and Scott clapped him on the back.

“Kill him,” Derek responded finally.

Erica rolled her eyes at him and took a sip of her wine before setting it down. She tugged at the coaster that sat beneath it, “Stiles said no bodily harm.”

Derek smirked, “What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”

She barked out a laugh, “I think he’d notice the object of his torture being dead.”

Derek sighed, “Okay. I’m not going to kill him. Just, shove him into something hard when I see him.”

“Uh huh. And where are you going to see him?”

Derek shrugged. There were a lot of things he wanted to do to Ethan. Most involved bodily harm, some just involved lifelong curses with the help of Deaton. He didn’t necessarily need to _see_  him to hurt him.

“So you haven’t thought that through.”

Derek sat down across from her, “I’m not allowed to touch him, anyway.”

Erica smiled darkly, “What happened to ‘What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him’?”

He frowned, “The last thing Stiles needs right now is for someone to go do something behind his back. Also, I already slashed his tires.”

Erica’s smile was gone and she was staring intently at him, “Uh oh.”

He raised his eyebrows questioningly.

She scrunched her lips before breathing out slowly. “You like him.”

Derek blanched somewhat, “I do not. He’s pack and he was hurt. Plus it was either that or bodily harm and that was already ruled out.”

Erica shook her head side to side, “Holy shit, you don’t like him. You _love_ him.”

“Erica,” he reprimanded.

She put a hand up, “No. Don’t even. Look at me and tell me you don’t love him.”

Derek grimaced and tried schooling his heart into a steady beat, “I don’t.”

Erica’s face lit up, “Holy **shit _._** Does he know?”

He scrubbed his hands over his face and let out a low growl, “No. That wouldn’t be fair to him.”

“ _Fair to him?_ Jesus Derek, he’s been mooning over you for years. You have to tell him at some point.” She was leaning across the table, fingers curled inward in an exasperated attempt to grasp the situation.

The wolf huffed, not believing a word of it. “I doubt that. He hasn’t been single for a while. And besides, he just got _cheated_ on. I hardly think now is the time to declare my ‘undying devotion’ to him.”

Erica’s smile was wicked, “Undying devotion, huh?”

“I figured that’s what you would’ve called it.”

She tsked, “No, I would have said ‘school girl crush’. Undying devotion is all you.”

He growled and flashed his eyes but she only laughed, “Yeah, that only works when we’re focused on me and my wrongdoings. Right now we’re talking about your emotional constipation.”

Derek stood and dropped his plate in the sink, “Actually. We were discussing revenge.”

Erica’s grin grew and she sighed wistfully, “Yeah, I’m gonna replace all the filling in his Oreos with toothpaste and put plastic wrap over his toilet. Maybe even a little classic rubber band on the faucet spray nozzle.”

He smirked and rolled his eyes. “What is Isaac doing?”

“He and Scott and Allison are planning on setting a few traps so that when Ethan opens a door he gets a shot to the balls.”

“What happened to no bodily harm?”

Her grin was down right malicious, “No one said anything about him bringing it on himself. We aren’t physically punching him. Gravity's doing all the work”

Derek nodded, he wondered what Stiles was going to come up with. As if reading his mind Erica pressed her eyebrows downward, “Stiles won’t tell us what he has planned though. Just said something about planning the worst day ever.”

“Should be interesting.”

Erica hummed her agreement and took another sip of wine, “Good thing Danny is rigging cameras.”

 


	5. Chapter 5

Stiles had the logistics planned out. There were five teams. Scott, Allison, and Isaac comprised team one – The Three Musketeers. Team two was Erica and Boyd, otherwise known as Jekyll and Hyde. Team three was Jackson and Lydia – The Players (how Lydia got Jackson to help he would never know). Team four was Danny – although he was really team one in the timeline because he was setting up the cameras. He chose “Hacktivist” as his team name. And then, finally, Derek and himself were the last team – Wolf and Red. Derek volunteered to help what Stiles was calling “The worst day ever.” Stiles still hadn’t told him what that was though.

Long before the string of pranks started Stiles had asked Allison, all dimples and false sweetness, to pick up his key from Ethan, lest he get any ideas about revenge himself after what Stiles and the others had planned for him. He even gave Allison his key to Ethan’s place, but not until he had a copy made. The plan was to let Ethan simmer down for a bit, lull himself into a false sense of security. Stiles had even gathered his things on his own, not even threatening the man with Erica’s presence. He made it seem as though he’d moved on, which wasn’t really a lie, he had **no** feelings for that piece of dirt.

So, to say the least, quite a bit of time had passed, about a month or so, and Stiles decided it was time to get the show on the road. It all started with Danny. Sweet, sweet, brown-eyed, hacker Danny.

  **PHASE ONE: SET UP**

Stiles sat on the edge of Ethan’s bed, careful not to disturb the covers too much. “How long do you think this is going to take?”

Danny spoke around the screwdriver in his mouth; words coming out slurred slightly, “Less if you’d get off your ass, Stilinski.”

Stiles rolled his eyes and stood. He held out a hand for the tool, “I’m just asking because we only have two hours. Erica is running interference just incase but that’s only gonna buy us like ten more minutes, tops.”

Danny nodded and stepped down from the chair they had borrowed from the kitchen. “Well I’m all finished up in here, we only have the bathroom, hallway, and living room left. Shouldn’t take much longer.”

Stiles smiled and took the chair in hand, “You’re great Danny.”

“Yeah, yeah. Just bring that back and help me figure out where to put this thing in the bathroom.”

**PHASE TWO: ALL’S FAIR IN LOVE AND PRANK WARS**

“Slime ball is out of the house. I repeat, slime ball is out of the house. Come in Musketeer One.” Stiles called into his walkie-talkie.

“You have to say over, Red. Over.” Scott rang from the other side, voice tinny and scratchy.

“Scott, shut up and get in here. He’s only gonna be out of the house for an hour on that grocery run. The guy moves quick, no time for fun in the supermarket.”

“Fine, over.”

Scott came into the house followed by Allison who had a laptop bag slung over her shoulder and Isaac who had a rather heavy looking backpack.

Scott stood at the table and pulled things from Allison’s bag while looking at Stiles, “You. Go wait outside, Allison brought something of yours so that if he gets here early you can pretend you’re here to pick that up.”

Stiles smiled, “Wow, Scotty, you actually have a contingency plan.”

Isaac snorted, “That was my idea.” He winked at Scott who rolled his eyes all while smiling fondly. Stiles made fake gagging noises in return only to get a glare from the trio.

“Go on, We’ll be finished in no time.”

Stiles huffed, “Fine. Lydia is “getting groceries” as we speak, she’ll call to let me know when Ethan leaves and I’ll give you guys the five minute warning.”

He stepped away from the chatter of the trio and was met with the blue-grey-green eyes of a wolf on the front steps. “Hey, perimeter all clear?”

Derek gave a terse nod, “What do Scott, Allison, and Isaac have planned out?”

Stiles stepped down and walked back towards the shed, special clay in hand. “I don’t really know. They’ve been trying to keep most of it a surprise for me. No doubt Scott is gonna go over the top and make Ethan miserable.” He knelt down before the shed and took the cap off the jar and handed it to Derek.

“And what’s all this for?”

Stiles smiled up at Derek, “My very own contingency plan should their pranks not be entertaining.”

Derek’s brows furrowed, “I seem to remember you calling home your freshman year after Scott nailed everything in your dorm upside down. I think you’ll be thoroughly entertained.”

All the blood rushed to Stiles face and he coughed, “Yeah well – He has werewolf strength and he had Isaac on his side. Anyways, this is just a little something for him. Ethan has an almost unnatural need to be perfect and smell perfect and look perfect, so when he opens this door sometime this week – which I know he will because he mows the lawn like fucking clockwork – he’s gonna get an eye full of what he’ll think is a skunk and he’s gonna smell like skunk for quite some time too.”

“Remind me to never get on your bad side.”

Stiles dusted his hands on his pants and pushed off his knees to stand, “I don’t think you ever have or will.”

The wolf gave him a dubious look in return.

He narrowed his eyes at him, “You’ve irritated me, pushed my buttons, and slammed me against walls, sure, but I know you’re a big fucking teddy bear and at the end of the day you care about your pack. You’ve never gotten on my bad side, Derek.”

Derek just looked shocked, almost like he’d been sucker punched. Stiles smiled despite himself, “Anyways, I think you’re afraid of me, deep down. You physically couldn’t get on my bad side, you’d never allow yourself to.”

The alpha’s gaze was pensive. Then an eyebrow rose and a smirk played at his lips. He crowded Stiles against the shed’s door, “You think I’m afraid of you?”

Stiles’ heart was in his throat but he pushed the wolf to the side and walked back towards the front of the house to finish up one more thing. “I **know** you’re afraid of me. Or at least you’re afraid of hurting me. Y’know, fragile human, breakable bones that don’t heal like yours do. It’s not just you, the others tip-toe too.”

Stiles set about writing more runes, this time over the doorframe. When he looked back Derek was frowning at him. “What?”

“I don’t think you’re weak.”

Stiles huffed, “I’m not saying you think I’m weak I’m saying you acknowledge that I’m weaker than you guys.”

The wolf shook his head, “No, you really aren’t.”

He opened his mouth to protest but was interrupted by his phone. “Shit.” He grabbed his walkie-talkie, “T-minus 5 minutes. Let’s get this show on the road kids. Take the back door and lock it behind you.” He shoved the device in his pocket and answered his phone, “Lydia, my darling angel, what brings your lovely voice to my ears today.”

She heaved a put-upon sigh, “Ethan is checking out now. I give it about…” He could practically hear her calculating, “12 minutes before he’s finished. That’s with all traffic lights being red. About 9 and a half with a mix.”

Stiles smiled fondly at Lydia’s genius, “Thanks Lyds. See you later.”

“Mhmm.”

Stiles turned back to Derek, “C’mon. We gotta get the hell out of here and back to my place. We’ve got a live feed to laugh at.” He patted Derek on his shoulders and darted off towards the tree line, car waiting on the other side. He most certainly did not whip a tree branch back at Derek just to see if he’d duck in time. Derek didn’t. 

~

Stiles didn’t think he could recall a time when he’d laughed so hard. And not just any kind of laughing, sincere, doubled over in pain, silent laughing. It had been a really long time and he hadn’t even realized. By the looks of the others, they hadn’t laughed like that in a while either.

“Oh man, did you see his face when all of those marbles came rushing out of the fridge?” Scott was leaning across both Isaac and Allison’s laps.

Erica hit his shoulder, “Or better yet, when he slipped and fell on all of them?” Her face was red from the exertion.

Boyd sat on a single seat adjacent to the couch, “I enjoyed his face when the handles fell off of all the doors.” He wasn’t smiling like the others but the amusement was clearly written in all of his features.

Derek was stoic, watching the screen intently. Stiles wiped his eyes and pushed his shoulder, “What about you Derek? Don’t think we didn’t catch you smiling when he got the first shot to the nuts.”

He tried to hide his smirk with a roll of his eyes, “What did you do to the front door? Any time he walks past it he looks something personally offended him.”

Were it not for the occasion, Stiles’ smile would have seemed sweet, innocent almost. His eyebrows drew downward, ruining the look with every bit of the mischief he possessed, “Nothing big, Just a forget me spell. Anytime he walks past it or through it he forgets what he was going to do for at least three excruciating minutes. If he walks past it again it just gets worse and worse.” He sighed, every bit of contentment at the fact dripping off of him.

Derek looked surprised again but just nodded somewhat approvingly.

Erica pushed off the couch and clapped Stiles on the back as she passed, “Well, I’m not sure about you guys, but after all that I am bushed.” She stretched long and hard before nodding Boyd over.

Stiles smiled back softly, “Yeah, me too. Thanks for all the help.”

Scott and Isaac rose while Allison stretched and made grabby hands at Isaac, almost beckoning to be carried. Erica smirked at them and then back at Stiles, “I look forward to the next time.”

Next time was Erica’s time. Erica had started off thinking small and annoying but last time Stiles checked she was planning on swapping out some of Ethan’s hair products with glues and dyes. He couldn’t wait.

“Oh, I’m sure it’s gonna be great.”

Derek let out a deep rumble as he extended his arms above him. Stiles would’ve continued gazing appreciatively if Erica hadn’t waggled her eyebrows so knowingly. Isaac wasn’t any better. He rolled his eyes at the two of them and sighed, “I’ll see you guys next week for round two.”

He ushered the group out and turned back to Derek, leaving the door open, “You going too, Sourwolf?” He smiled lightly and bit back a yawn.

Derek’s gaze lingered before he nodded and moved towards the door, he hesitated and sighed, “Good luck with round two.”

Stiles crinkled his lips, “You’re gonna help aren’t you?”

Derek rolled his eyes, “I don’t need to do a perimeter check every time, Stiles. It’s not like he’s a wolf.”

The witch frowned, “Yeah, but it’s nice having you there. Pack and all.” He gestured wildly and bit his lip before letting out a breathy sigh.

Derek’s face had gone unreadable, almost tight, as he gazed upward in thought, “Yeah. I’ll let you know.” As he turned back his features went soft and he looked over Stiles and the house before leaving for his car.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heads up, this one is a little bit longer.

Setting up pranks for Ethan quickly became a pack bonding exercise, almost taking over their weekly movie night in terms of favor. Erica was ruthless in her pursuit of “justice”, and so were the others. Stiles had mentioned, offhandedly, the time in which Lydia may or may not have hexed a girl who tried to imply that she was cheating and suddenly Lydia made it her silent duty to prove her mental prowess to the others, primarily Erica, in the prank war against Ethan.

Derek thought it was stupid. They all had a common enemy; it wasn’t like they were warring against one another, so none of them could truly win anyway, which is what he told them when they asked him to judge their pranks. Both Erica and Lydia had sneered and asked Stiles. He just shrugged and told them he was busy and to ask Scott, but Lydia deemed him too eager and unwilling to choose sides.

Again, Derek thought it was stupid, but a little healthy competition was a good thing, oh and Ethan was an insignificant spec of dirt in Derek’s eyes so it didn’t matter. Rubbing his thumbs across his temples he turned to Stiles who sat on his couch grinning wildly while reading an ancient-looking leather bound book. “What are you reading?”

Stiles snapped his head up and looked to either side of him, finally meeting Derek’s gaze when he figured out it was he that was being addressed. “Nothing important. Just – keeping myself occupied.”

Any other day and Derek would’ve accepted that. Few things rivaled Stiles’ thirst for knowledge and a good tale, but the witch’s heart skipped and his eyes almost dared Derek to mention it. Being that Derek was feeling rather brave, and that he wanted to ruffle Stiles’ feathers, he did mention it. “So is this something that could get _you_ in trouble or is this something that will cause _Ethan_ trouble?”

While Stiles had narrowed his eyes at Derek his lips were curved upward and contentment was oozing from his pores. Derek wanted to bask in it, the smell of pine trees and morning dew on freshly cut grass, but Stiles’ voice cut him off, “You have to promise not to mention it to the others.”

Derek raised an eyebrow in question. Stiles didn’t make it a habit of hiding things from the others and if he did Derek was included in said group of others. He huffed, “Why?”

Stiles rolled his eyes, checking back over his shoulder for any interlopers, and slid forward to the edge of his seat. “C’mere.”

Derek pursed his lips before sitting next to the man and gesturing for him to continue. One more glance and then Stiles was pressed along his side with the book in his hand. “I’ve been looking at some spells to use on Ethan. Y’know, worst day ever?” He looked up heart skipping a beat as he probably realized he was a bit too close to Derek. He moved slightly and then continued, “I’ve been quiet about it because I don’t want the others to know what my plans are. They’re way too eager to out do each other and I’m just here for a little revenge, not a competition. But, since you’re on my team, and because you don’t care about all of _that_ , you get to know all the dirty details.”

Derek searched Stiles face, almost disbelieving, but all he found was earnest openness, he coiled internally wanting nothing more than to kiss the witch on the forehead. He really needed to look into the sudden want for domesticated cuddling. Rather then come to terms with those feelings just yet he deadpanned, “Goodie.”

Stiles flicked him and continued, unperturbed by Derek’s lack of enthusiasm. “Anyway, I’ve been steering clear of anything linked to free-will. I’m not petty or evil enough to tamper with that,” He licked a finger and turned the page, reading and speaking at the same time, “But, I did see a few things I liked. Things I know he’ll hate.”

Derek studied the intensity in which Stiles directed towards the book and its apparent mysteries. He almost missed that it was in another language. From where he was sitting, probably a dead one. “And what were these things you liked?” His voice was low and once he said it Stiles froze momentarily, something in his scent piquing.

He stuttered momentarily, face tinged pink when he finally met Derek’s gaze, “Uh – it uh. Just small things so far?” He cleared his throat and continued, “Yeah, small things. Um. One of them is a rearrangement spell, if I tweak it a bit I can use it for a couple of different things. Use it to move things out of order, untie his shoes after he ties them, put his keys somewhere he won’t find them for a bit. Things to rattle him.” His smile was alight with mischief.

Derek fought back a grin, not wanting an earful of Stiles’ gloating, even though he deserved the praise. He was smart and he could bend the laws of nature to suit him on certain occasions, but he was never ruthless without cause. He appreciated the witch’s restraint in that aspect. Not everyone was as kind. Kind may have been pushing it though because they _were_ plotting the demise of a man’s peace.

He realized he’d been staring quietly without replying when Stiles’ face tensed, “Kinda dumb, right?” He picked at the pages of the book, one of them dog-eared. He knew Stiles hated that.

He frowned, “No, it sounds great. I was just thinking.”

Stiles shifted so his whole body faced him, back leaning on the armrest, “’Bout what?”

Derek’s eyes tracked his face before replying, “How you’re terrifying when you set your mind to something.”

The man frowned, “Hmm, well terrifying wasn’t exactly what I was going for with a shoe-untying spell.”

He smiled softly, “It’s good. It’s why I come to you when I need answers.”

A myriad of expressions crossed over Stiles’ face before it settled into something warm and inviting, “Well, good then.”

Derek nodded and stepped out of the room in favor of the kitchen where Lydia and Erica were arguing over a plan. Something about the viscosity of olive oil not being right for the prank Erica had thought up. He sighed and left it alone.

~

Derek sat in the café across from Ethan’s workplace with Stiles, who was stirring his coffee mindlessly. Quite literally too, he wasn’t even paying attention to the mug and its spoon that stirred aimlessly without the aid of his hand. Derek cleared his throat and directed an eye at the cup when Stiles finally looked up. A light blush dusted his cheeks and he grabbed the spoon and placed it in his mouth before pulling it out with an obscene pop.

It was Derek’s turn to blush but he had a menu to hide behind so it was of no consequence. When he lifted his gaze Stiles was typing away, presumably with Erica since she and Boyd were booby-trapping Ethan’s house. He did a quick sweep of the surrounding area and found that Ethan was still somewhere near the back of the office. His heartbeat was a steady and annoying thrum beating at Derek’s skull.

“What’s with the scowl?” Stiles was gesturing at him with his free hand.

He grunted and shrugged off the question and answered with his own, “How much longer are Erica and Boyd going to take?”

Stiles narrowed his eyes. He always did disapprove of avoidance. “Thirty minutes or so. Ethan changed the locks,” Stiles drummed his fingers along the table and stared out the window towards the man in question, “Erica had to pick it and that took some time. I told her I should’ve gone with her, I have runes for that,” he punctuated the thought with a tap to the side of his head and continued, “But Lydia was tired of stakeout duty, Jackson is an asshole, Erica is _there_ with Boyd, Scott and Isaac are at work and Allison is out of town.” He sighed.

“So why are there two of us here?” Derek put the menu down, not interested in the choices, and sipped his coffee.

“I hate being alone during stakeouts and you have the super hearing.”

Derek let out a sharp breath, “Somehow I think you have a spell that would have helped you with that.”

Stiles met his glance and grimaced, “Then refer back to point one, I hate being alone during stakeouts.”

He grumbled under his breath, “I had work too, you know.”

The witch smiled, ever the picture of knowledgeable devil, “Mmm, and yet here you are.” He turned back again, “Why is that?”

He rolled his eyes, “Because you dragged me here, and as you so simply put it, I ‘have the super hearing’.”

Laughing dryly Stiles pushed, “Yeah sure, but no one said you _had_ to come.”

Derek made an aborted move to leave but Stiles grabbed his wrist. He smirked at it and then raised his eyebrows, proving the point he had made internally. Stiles would have raised all hell if Derek hadn’t gone, he knew that. Stiles pulled his hand away quickly before muttering something unintelligible.

Suddenly his eyes widened in horror and he quickly pulled a menu up to his face with one hand and hit Derek with the other. “He’s coming! he’s coming in here!” he hissed into the menu.

Derek almost turned to look but Stiles was pulling his face back before he had the chance. “No you idiot, don’t look!”

He clammed up when Ethan made his way over to their table, hands in his pockets with a dark smile on his face. “Hey Stiles.”

Stiles looked up from his menu, his heart was racing but to Derek’s eyes he was utterly calm and almost cold. “Hmm? Oh _you_. Hi, Ethan.” His words cut into Derek’s skin even though they weren’t directed at him, Stiles’ anger radiating through the room. He thanked the moon that Stiles had never been this upset with anyone in the pack.

“Come on, Stiles, don’t sound so put off. It’s good to see you.” He mimicked a frown but it devolved into a sneer when his eyes met Derek’s. “Oh, so this is why you haven’t been answering my texts? Didn’t take you long to crawl into bed with someone else did it?”

Derek let out a low rumble but Stiles held up a hand and turned towards the offending presence, “Funny you of all people should mention crawling when that’s what you were doing trying to get me back. And I haven’t been answering your texts because you _cheated_ on me. S’no need for you to feel threatened by the presence of a better man.”

Ethan huffed, “Yeah, keep telling yourself that. Don’t try and make yourself out to be better than me. You’ve always been lusting after this one.” He hooked a thumb at Derek and it took everything he had not to pull him face first into the table. “How are you enjoying my sloppy seconds, Hale?”

Derek made a move to grab at him but Stiles slapped his hand back and stood. He cleared his throat and dusted something off his pants. “Ethan, I slapped you once, don’t think I’ll hesitate to do it again just because I don’t want to dirty my hands touching you.”

Ethan wasn’t cowed and he pressed a finger into Stiles’ sternum causing Derek to stand at his side and hold back a growl. Ethan ignored him. “I know it was you in my house.”

Stiles put his hand on Ethan’s wrist and Derek almost missed the flare of blue beneath Stiles’ palm. He didn’t have to see the sigil to know it was something bad for Ethan. “You seem to think you’re a lot more important to me than you actually are, Ethan. Maybe it was one of the other people you cheated on.”

“No, it’s you, I know it. None of them are like you – “

Stiles smiled and shoved Ethan’s hand back at him, “I’m glad you acknowledge how great I am, but if you’ll excuse me, I was catching up with a friend and telling him about my cheating ex boyfriend.”

Stiles sat back down and when Ethan made the move to grab him Derek wasn’t held back again. He twisted Ethan’s arm behind his back and growled low in his ear, just for him, “Move and I’ll break it in front of everyone. I want you to listen close, okay?”

Ethan squirmed and Derek only tightened his grip eliciting a squeak. He smiled, “I’ve been to jail before, Ethan. I don’t mind going back for a night if it means I get to break your arm. Are you listening?”

He gave a jerky nod and tried pulling his arm away again.

“Just one thing and then I’ll let you go,” He turned Ethan so that he was facing him, “You touch him and I will not hesitate to find you. And if I don’t the others will. You know that, don’t you Ethan?”

Ethan all but spit in his face, pulling his arm away violently before attempting to shove Derek back, though he didn’t move more than an inch. “This isn’t over Hale.”

Derek raised an eyebrow, “I think it is. What do you think Stiles?”

Stiles looked up from his phone, “Huh? Oh, he’s still here? Yeah, I was done about – “ He looked at his watch and then to Ethan, “oh, two months ago.”

Ethan hissed at him, “You stay away from my house.”

Stiles sighed at him, “Ethan, I can’t fully express how much I do not care for you and your house. Wouldn’t dream of coming in contact with it or its slimy inhabitants.” He punctuated his thoughts with a tap of his finger on the phone screen before standing again. “Ready to go?”

Derek pushed Ethan back by his shoulder, “Ready.”

Ethan blustered and cursed after him but Derek had already tuned him out. As soon as he and Stiles were out of sight the witch let out a loud sigh and held his hand over his chest. “God! He **infuriates** me. He – he is so awful.” He punched at his phone and held it to his ear, “Erica? Yeah, you’d better be finished cause Ethan is probably gonna haul ass over there. No – just, just leave as soon you can. No I’m fine. Yes Derek was there. Ju- Erica I’m fine I told you no physical harm with your own hands.”

Derek was pretty sure he could hear her saying something about ripping Ethan’s hands off and hitting him with those but Stiles just told her it was fine and to leave. He rested a hand on Stiles in an attempt to ground him. It seemed to work because he let out a deep breath and looked up at him appreciatively.

“Hey, thank you for that. Back there.”

Derek shook his head, “No problem. He’s an asshole.”

Stiles sighed, “Yeah, you guys always told me that. Should’ve seen it coming.”

He halted internally and turned Stiles to face him, both hands squeezing his shoulders. “Stop. Us not liking him and him cheating were separate events. You couldn’t have known and we didn’t either.”

Stiles brought a hand up to rest over Derek’s, “Yeah. Yeah it just sucks because you guys had a bad feeling and I was blind to it cause I was so busy trying – never mind. It doesn’t matter.”

Derek was frowning at him, “It does.”

Stiles pursed his lips and shrugged Derek’s hand off of his shoulder, “No, he already cheated. Doesn’t matter. I can’t get that year back.” He rubbed his hands over his face, “But I **can** get back at him for it.”

He pushed Stiles towards the car and when he got in Stiles’ eyes were locked onto him. “What?”

He looked down and rested his hand on Derek’s, lighting his skin up with the simple touch, “I’m glad you were there. Had I been alone I might be spending the night in jail.” He let out a humorless laugh and shrugged.

“Wouldn’t be the first time.”

Stiles smiled brightly and the remaining tension left the air. He finally moved his hand to run it through his hair, “Yeah I guess it wouldn’t.”

~

Erica was pacing back and forth in his kitchen when he and Stiles arrived. Her knuckles were white under the pressure of her clenched fists. “What the hell did he do? Your heart was through the roof when you called.”

Derek grabbed a beer from the fridge, shut it behind him, and took a seat to watch the two squabble it out.

“Nothing! It wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle. And besides, Derek was there. If it had been really bad Derek probably would’ve killed him. He was staring daggers into his soul already.”

Derek huffed and shot an incredulous look Stiles’ way. The man shrugged and waved him off.

“What did he say?”

“Nothing!”

Derek cleared his throat, “He asked me if I was enjoying his sloppy seconds.”

Erica’s face went red. Derek could only guess she was torn between laughing out of sheer awkwardness and tearing down Ethan’s doors. “Well. What did you say to that?”

“I told him I slapped him once and I’d do it again. _Ugh_ , Erica I would give _anything_ to slap him six ways into next Sunday.”

She smiled and ran her hands over his shoulders, “Well, when he gets home that’ll all be taken care of.”

A grin spread across his face that had Derek rolling his eyes. Stiles hopped up onto the island where Derek was sitting and swung his feet out, “I want to order pizza for this.”

Derek pushed him down and bit back a smile at the indignant squawk he received, “Ass off the counter.”

“You’re there.” He grumbled quietly and grabbed a drink from the fridge.

He tipped his beer back and finished it off before deigning to reply. “This ass owns the counters.”

He barely caught Stiles and Erica pantomiming his expressions, both of them froze and looked into their glasses. He shook his head and got up for the order out menus. He had a drawer.

“What did you put on his arm at the coffee shop?”

“Huh? Oh – Oh! Shit I forgot about that.” He was laughing wickedly. “How did you even catch that? Never mind. Not important. It was a liquid attraction sigil. Shit, we should’ve stayed. I hope he ordered something hot because it most likely ended up in his lap.”

Derek plucked Stiles’ favorite menu from the mass of pamphlets and handed it to him. “Sorry to have missed it.”

Stiles sighed ruefully, “Yeah. It’s alright though. I got to see you twist his arm in public. He must be humiliated.”

Erica shot Derek a look but he turned away before its heat could fully sink in. She released an exasperated breath behind him and left the room.


	7. Interlude

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty, you're gonna have to wait until tomorrow for the rest. This is a little over the halfway point depending on how much more I add on to the last chapter.

After seeing Erica’s pranks, which consisted of hair dye in a shampoo bottle, toothpaste Oreos (Erica couldn’t resist a classic), Sprite+Soy sauce in a coke bottle, and some other pranks centered around bodily harm, Lydia went all out. And Derek was almost proud. Almost. Had the pack worked this hard back in high school, or even college, things would have gone a lot more smoothly. He couldn’t be completely upset though or at least Stiles said he couldn’t because, “ _Come on Derek. She put a fricken animatronic head in a jar **in his FRIDGE!** Did you **see** his face Derek? Did you? Oh my god._ ” So he was kinda proud. Lydia didn’t need his pride though, she had plenty of it herself. But, her smile did soften when Erica pulled her into a half embrace while watching the show.

Jackson had even done a few of his own pranks outside of helping Lydia. He didn’t completely admit that he was upset by Ethan’s betrayal of Stiles, but his pranks communicated that for him. He hid a few air horns behind doors so when they were swung open all hell would break loose. And he put baking soda and vinegar in a ketchup bottle and sealed it before anything could happen. Stiles had spit juice out through his nose.

That was the last of the pranks from the pack though, and the group almost seemed bummed about it. But Stiles had them all wrapped around his finger when Derek came back into the living room with popcorn.

“-and that’s just the beginning. Of course, I’m not gonna tell you guys everything I’m planning, but I am gonna need your help for some of it. Scott, we’re talking freshman year.”

Scott’s eyes widened in joy as he whispered, “ _No._ You can’t mean.”

Stiles smirked and popped a chip into his mouth, “Oh but I do. You and Isaac are totally gonna help me nail all his shit upside down. Just the bedroom though. He’ll go in there last when he’s all good and tired and – oh man the look on his face when he sees it.” Stiles was practically crooning at the ceiling, hands clutched over his chest.

Derek smiled at the sight. Pure unadulterated happiness was rolling off of Stiles. It was like childhood summers wrapped up in mint leaves and drenched in a cool clean river. Stiles being magic meant his scents changed every once in a while, but no matter what they were always pleasant to Derek. The good ones anyway.

Stiles turned to him and the elation in his scent grew. Derek would be sad when this was over, though he would be loathe to admit it. When this was finished the pack would probably go back to meetings once a week and leaving right after the movie of choice was over. Stiles seemed to notice something was amiss and patted the spot next to him where he was on the floor. There was a nice pillow nest going though so Derek couldn’t complain.

“Hey,” Stiles grabbed the bowl of popcorn from him and sat it in his own lap. Behind him Erica was playing with the longest strands of his hair, trying to clip it with special barrettes. He leaned into Derek’s side and spoke low, “After this is over you should stick around. We need to go over some of the stuff I have planned out.”

Derek sighed, not wanting to press himself back against Stiles. Not when whatever was going on would most likely vanish once this was all over. “I’m still not quite sure why you aren’t taking Scott for this.”

Stiles turned, eyebrows drawn down, quizzical look on his face. “Because he’s not a big scary alpha and he has Isaac and Allison.”

Derek didn’t really know how to respond but apparently he didn’t need to because Stiles was shooing Erica’s hands away from his hair and leaning his head down on Derek’s shoulder. He hoped he didn’t lose this, he thought as he looked down at the man.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How about a chapter before I go to work? Enjoy!

Stiles didn’t know what to do with himself as he lay in bed, restless. His mind kept replaying events from the past few months. Ethan being an idiot, Derek being there to pick him up, Derek keeping him grounded in the café, Derek doing recon with him. Derek, _Derek_ , **Derek**. How could he have missed it all? The way Derek looked at him. The way Derek had been the one with him for all of this.

At first Stiles had shoved it off as pack instinct, keeping everyone safe and happy, keeping an eye on Stiles cause he was hurt. But you didn’t look at just any one of your pack mates the way that Derek looked at him. Scott didn’t count. But, of course, Stiles didn’t figure this out on his own, and might not have… ever. How could he all the way up in Oblivious Land? He figured it out because _Lydia_ figured it out and showed him video of Derek and Erica arguing in Ethan’s house as they set up one of Stiles’ minor pranks for him while he was at work.

Erica was livid about something and Derek was stoic as ever, arms crossed as he kept watch. Stiles was about to ask Lydia what was so important about it but she had just left him in his office and closed the door behind her. So that’s how he heard, _“I couldn’t tell Stiles I loved him right after Ethan broke up with him Erica, you know that. We’ve had this conversation before.”_

_“Yeah well we’re having it again! Don’t you see the way he looks at you?” Stiles would have laughed at Erica furiously dumping grass seeds in between the keys of Ethan’s computer any other time, now was obviously not the time. “It’s been months Derek.”_

_“And what if he’s not over it yet?” Stiles’ jaw couldn’t possibly have fallen farther._ I’m over it! He thought at Derek through the screen.

_“Derek. We’re talking four months here.”_

_“He was cheated on. Building back trust in people takes more than just a few months.”_

_“For you maybe. And even if it did Stiles already trusts you with his life! You’re his alpha, god damn it. Stop making excuses because you’re afraid he doesn’t like you.” She punctuated her thoughts by jamming each key back into its place. Derek was in the kitchen switching out salt and sugar containers._

_“He doesn’t.” Derek slammed the cover back on the container he was filling._

_Erica sauntered into the kitchen, “You’re literally just as blind as he is. You two are perfect for each other.”_

So, yeah. That’s how Stiles’ world got turned upside down. And somehow everything simultaneously made so much more and so much less sense to him. Stiles had been skirting the Derek issue for years. He never wanted to believe that every touch meant something, or that the way Derek lingered in his house after every pack meeting meant something. He was mostly focused on how out of his depth he was with someone like _Derek._ Stiles huffed and kicked the sheets to the side and got up. He couldn’t help but feel that his extreme self-deprecation led him down this path of loveless partnerships. It felt like love in the moment, sometimes. Really, some of the guys had been great to Stiles. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized that they had just been supplemental. Second best, if that. Stiles groaned, “God, my life is a fucking romcom.”

Stiles wasn’t sure who was laughing though. Probably Erica. Or Scott. _Shit, did Scott know?_ Stiles scrambled back into his room for his phone and hit speed dial two. _Shit speed dial two fuck how did I not notice this sooner. Derek is speed dial one oh my fuck._ Scott picked up on the fifth ring and slurred something incomprehensible and then, “Stiles? Wuss wrong? S’mthin the matter?”

“Scott did you know! Did you know Derek was in love with me?”

Scott coughed and then heaved a sigh, “S’too late for this.”

“ **Scott.** ”

“Ugggh, No. Mean – I had’n idea?”

There was rustling and then Isaac had the phone, Allison murmured something in the background. “Stiles, go to sleep. Derek’s loved you since the summer after senior year of high school but even he didn’t admit it to himself fully until you graduated college.” With that there was a click and the line went blank.

Stiles stared down in horror at his phone. _How did he miss that?_

~

**PHASE THREE: ~~WORST DAY EVER~~ WOO DEREK**

Stiles worried his bottom lip between his teeth as he waited for Derek to pick him up. Right now Scott and Isaac were attaching everything in Ethan’s room to the ceiling and for extra measure Allison was nailing a few of the chairs on the roof. She was sweet like that. Stiles even made sure everyone had gloves incase Ethan decided to get the police involved. Stiles wasn’t extremely worried though. Deputy Parrish had promised to handle anything that sounded even remotely like a prank that came up so the Sherriff wouldn’t feel conflicted. Jordan was great, too.

What wasn’t great was the way Stiles’ stomach was churning. Not too long after his mid-life crisis, a bit early he might add - _what he was only 24 thank you very much_ \- Stiles had realized how hard he had fallen for Derek over the years.

High school him wouldn’t have even **dreamed** of inviting Derek to partake in a prank war, let alone be his partner in crime.

“ _Stiles._ ” Shit he hadn’t even realized Derek was there. And now he was getting out of the car. “Stiles are you okay?” Derek crouched down to the level Stiles was sitting on the porch, “Your heart.” Derek moved to press his hand against Stiles’ chest but faltered and drew it back.

Stiles finally looked up at him, mouth parted slightly, and shook his head abruptly before standing, “Yeah no – I’m. I’m fine sorry. I was just deep in thought.”

Derek frowned but didn’t press the issue. His face relaxed a bit as he added, “You ready for today?”

 _Yeah, today’s the day I do something about us._ “Yeah. Yeah, we’re gonna kick Ethan’s ass.”

Stiles hopped off the porch and slid into the passenger seat. _Oh my god, I haven’t even realized I’ve been letting him chauffer me everywhere too!_ He garbled out a choked off sound aloud. _Well Ethan would recognize the jeep anywhere so._

Derek looked over at him, almost worried. “Are you sure everything is okay?”

“Yeah yeah, totally. Just-ah, just dealing with some newfound information.”

“Which would be?”

“Nothing!” Stiles squeaked. He cleared his throat and then amended, “Not important right now. Later. After this. We need to focus on this. Drive. Just go.”

The wolf drew his eyebrows downward but turned forward, peeling out of the driveway.

~

Stiles had an arm across Derek’s chest as he looked around him to see Ethan’s reaction. He was _screaming_. Like, full on temper tantrum after getting your ice cream taken away **screaming**. Stiles’ larynx was threatening to betray him but Derek threw a hand over his mouth and pushed them further against the wall they were hiding behind.

Ethan’s car was covered from tire to roof in post-its. And if that wasn’t bad enough, Derek and Stiles had wrapped all of _that_ in plastic wrap. Ethan didn’t even know that Erica was at his massage appointment right now, either. Oh, revenge was sweet sweet sweet.

Derek’s muscles tensed and Stiles was now halfway into the man’s lap. He jabbed the wolf lightly and licked his palm. Derek shot him a nasty glare but Stiles stuck out his tongue and hissed, “We’re on the second level looking down through the cracks. He can’t see us.”

Ethan was tearing the saran wrap off angrily and in his fit of rage took the right side mirror off with it. He cursed and threw it into the wall. Derek looked back at him, “But he can _hear_. Shut up.”

Stiles slapped at his hand and turned around just in time to see Ethan twitching to get the post-its that were stuck to his shirt off. “Man, I am so glad he’s pretentious enough to use the parking garage everyday.”

Derek rolled his eyes and hoisted Stiles up. He pushed him towards the Toyota and opened the door, “C’mon, we’ve got other things to do.”

Stiles held onto the door and peered over it. “No we don’t, wait! Come on he hasn’t gotten all the post-its off yet.”

Derek shoved him in and closed the door. When he got in he said, “Well I’m sure you’ll have plenty of fun watching him take them off everything in his office. Lydia and Jackson are already finished, look.” He held up the phone in one hand as he started the car with the other.

Stiles’ eyes widened in glee, “Oh my god. It’s amazing. Werewolf speed is a wonderful thing.”

Derek snorted and sped out of the parking garage through the second exit, careful to avoid Ethan’s side.

“Where to next?” Derek tapped against the steering wheel with his thumbs.

Stiles bit his lip, “Well, we’ve covered his car, stolen his reservation, nailed everything upside down, I even got Scott to fill the main room with cups full of water. Now we just have to enjoy ourselves at one of his favorite restaurants where he keeps his card on file.” Stiles rubbed his hands together and bit back a maniacal laugh. He was _not_ a cliché villain. The last part hadn’t been planned, at least not out loud, and Derek seemed to catch that.

“I thought we were done?”

 _This part was a one-man job._ “We are. This isn’t just for us.”

Derek shook his head, “He’s gonna catch us.”

Stiles smiled, “You severely under estimate me, Derek. I ordered ahead and used his secret password.”

“Your phone number?”

He groaned, “It’s like you think I don’t know about disposable phones.”

~

“Stiles why did you order so much food?” Derek’s back muscles were rippling through the piece of cloth that dared to call itself a shirt as he lugged the boxes to his car.

He shrugged, “Ethan’s never done a nice thing in his life, so I’m doing it for him. We’re bringing this to the homeless shelter.”

Derek paused and his face did something stupid that made Stiles’ heart flutter in all the trite and overdone ways of romcom movies past. “The homeless shelter,” He repeated.

Stiles pushed at him to continue and grabbed a few boxes as well. “Uh, yes, the homeless shelter.”

“Hmm.” Derek was still looking at him funny so naturally Stiles had to find a way to ruin it.

“Shut your alpha face and grab the boxes alright? My puny human arms can’t handle too many at a time.”

Derek lifted two from Stiles’ arms and fixed him with his gaze now that he could see his eyes, “Do the other’s know about this?”

Stiles shifted and set the boxes in his hands down and took the ones in Derek’s hands as well. “No, the point of charity isn’t to brag about it. Even though technically this could be considered stealing. However, I like to think of it as more robin hood-vigilante-esque.”

Derek stopped him with a palm pressed flat against his chest. Stiles froze, closed his mouth and looked down at it. He met a very dazzling set of green-grey eyes that were practically singing at him when he looked up. The whole thing made him laugh nervously, seriously _romcom_ , but when he shook Derek away and attempted to grab the last few boxes Derek pulled him back and into a firm kiss.

Mmm and that was something Stiles never ever thought he’d get. The grounding press of Derek’s soft lips against his contrasted by the mild scrape of the wolf’s stubble. _Oh_ , that was tongue. Stiles was like putty in Derek’s hands, unable and unwilling to fight the way the kissed deepened. Derek slid his tongue against Stiles’ and up across the roof of his mouth. How could Stiles not return the favor? If they kept this up though Stiles wasn’t gonna be standing much longer. And then Derek was biting Stiles’ lips and chin and then his neck. There were going to be some nice pink marks there in a second, but the man soothed every bite with another kiss so Stiles didn’t complain – would _never_ complain.

Stiles slid his hands up Derek’s chest and around his neck before pulling him back by his hair. The wolf’s chest rumbled but he looked wrecked. _Fuck yes, he likes it rough._ Derek’s pupils were blown and Stiles could only imagine what he looked like.

“Wow.” It came out as a whisper caught between an exhale.

Derek tensed as his actions caught up with him, “I’m sorry – I”

Stiles couldn’t even find the way to tell him to shut up and stop apologizing because he smashed his lips back against Derek’s and pulled him in close for a hug. He only just staved off the urge to throw his legs around the wolf too. He was an adult damn it.

Derek’s hands settled lightly on his back, like he thought he’d break Stiles if he did anything more. Stiles huffed a laugh into his neck and dragged his nose up its length, “We need to get the rest of this food and go before it gets cold.” He pulled back and patted Derek’s chest, “C’mon.”

Stiles hauled the rest of the boxes into the car and Derek watched him, looking lost as ever. He smiled at the wolf, small and nervous, “So. You ready to go?”

Derek seemed to snap out of it but words were still beyond him so all Stiles got in return was a nod and a slight tip of the lips.

“Okay,” He smiled, "Let's go."


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okie dokie. Later on tonight (and I mean later) I should be able to post a the rest. If not it will all be up Saturday for Valentine's Day!!

Derek’s mind was reeling. Stiles had _kissed him_. Well, he kissed Stiles, but Stiles kissed him back! He didn’t know where to begin. As he stood across the room handing out meals to the men in women in the shelter he couldn’t really believe his day. Couldn’t believe the Stiles he was seeing.

Modesty was a good look on him, and Derek was proud to have the witch as his emissary. He already knew that Stiles had a kind heart underneath all of the snarky comments and plaid, but he hadn’t realized how far all that warmth and love had reached. He didn’t think the others knew either. Maybe Scott, but they’d been friends since what felt like the dawn of time. Derek could only wish that love and warmth extended to him as well. He was utterly and hopelessly in love with Stiles, but even a kiss from the witch didn’t solidify anything between them. It didn’t finalize anything.

It was still great, Derek decided. Even if this had all been one big misunderstanding and Derek could never have Stiles he was still happy to have him as a part of his pack, part of his home.

Stiles looked up at him and gave a half wave before turning to the woman beside him and beaming. It wasn’t just magic that made Stiles vibrant and alive. It was the people and things he cared for. His surroundings. Derek smiled at the woman to his left as he handed her a box and then he left to stand by Stiles.

He leaned in slightly as he watched the crowd, “This was nice.”

Stiles turned and grabbed his hand, squeezing it lightly before releasing it, “Yeah. Thanks for helping me.”

Derek met his eyes, honey brown and alive with joy, “You keep thanking me for things that don’t need thanks.”

Stiles patted him on the back, “And that’s why I brought you with me.” He stepped forward to hand a girl one of the boxes that had desserts in it. A simple gesture, really, but the whole display had Derek’s heart aching. If someone like Stiles could love him there might be hope in this world for him yet. Of course he might have been getting ahead of himself but still, one could only _hope_.

~

Derek jiggled his knee as the group sat in front of the TV to watch the events of “The worst day ever”. Lydia and Danny had cut, spliced, and edited everything together for the home movie night that had everyone crowding on couches and the floor. Earlier, Derek and Stiles had gone back for the camcorder in the parking garage, but everything else had been linked into Danny’s stream so it took he and Lydia no time at all.

Now Stiles just wriggled around on the couch between Scott and Boyd before shooting a glance at Derek and smiling softly. It settled something in him and he relaxed against his chair, Erica sitting on one of the arms. She looked down at him and narrowed her eyes, smelling him not so discretely. Derek flicked her just as her eyes widened in realization and flashed his red in warning. She pursed her lips and punched him but kept quiet.

Lydia took a moment and then stood by the TV, remote in hand with her hip popped out. “Alright, this is a compilation of some of our best pranks, in case some of you missed them – Boyd, we know you were busy at work – followed by the worst day ever that Stiles enacted with some of our help. So, without further ado, here is our best work.” She clicked play and lowered herself on to Jackson’s lap, throwing his arm over her shoulder.

On screen Ethan was a mess. Shampoo hair dye had to have been the most devastating for him, leaving bits of it falling out from having reacted improperly with whatever else Erica put in the bottle. She snickered and picked at an elongated claw casually. Ethan on screen was far less gathered. He punched a wall only to reel back and then slipped on the buttery tiles.

Stiles was laughing so hard he wasn’t breathing and Scott looked no better, doubled over in pain. The next scene was an interlude of sorts, according to Danny. He sat, smirking, against the front of one of the couches. In reality it was bloopers, lots of them. Scott getting hit in the face with a drawer he forgot to tape when he tried hanging things upside down, Erica slipping on a tile she forgot she lathered, Stiles setting off one of his own wards and ending up with a mouthful of cotton. On the couch he shuddered, “I’m still picking out the pieces.” Oh, and even Lydia setting off one of Jackson’s airhorns. Derek didn’t even know she could get that red.

But, then came the pièce de résistance. Stiles sat up, even more attentive than before, and rested his elbows on his knees. Erica elbowed Derek, for his inattentiveness, and earned herself a low growl. That earned Derek a toothy smile and a quick pinch. They probably would have delved into the territory of slap fight had it not been for what was on screen. _Stiles._

“ _Scott, I can’t believe you didn’t tell me. You **knew** he was in love with me.” Stiles pushed at Scott’s shoulder and walked towards Ethan’s cabinet where he put live crickets in the cereal box._

_Scott frowned, “You should be yelling at Isaac, not me! He’s the one that really knew.”_

On the couch Stiles was beet red, heart warbling in his chest. He looked at Lydia who shrugged and Danny busied himself with popcorn. He wouldn’t meet Derek’s gaze and Scott held his arm to keep him from running. This had been carefully planned.

_“Yeah but you had an idea! C’mon you know I’ve had feelings for him since – hmmm I don’t know – **senior year**!” Stiles hefted himself up to sit on the counter while Scott put a smidge of tin foil on the roof of the microwave._

_“Stiles, it’s not like I didn’t tell you to go for it a million times.” He backed away and raised an eyebrow at his friend._

_“Ugh, that’s not the same Scott. I couldn’t just go after Derek all ‘hey I love you and wanna kiss the stupid frown off your face’ without knowing if he felt the same way. He’s **Derek.** ” Stiles gesticulated wildly._

_“He’s… Derek?”_

_Stiles groaned, “You know! Beautiful Adonis of a man, sculpted from the finest marble with an ass like– “_

_“Enough enough! I get it.” Scott left the room._

Derek didn't quite know how to react, a plethora of emotions and thoughts filling his head now. He looked at Stiles, who was even redder if that were possible. The witch scrambled out of Scott’s grip for the remote and hit pause. “Okay,” he spoke, dragging out the vowels, “I’m just gonna go, y’know, pick up some things. I forgot about that one – I’m just gonna.” Scott and Erica both grabbed for him but he hopped over the couch and dashed outside.

Derek stopped them both before they could follow, “Back on the couch.” Erica tried once more. “ **Now** , Erica.” She grumbled but complied. Derek heard the Jeep starting and barely grabbed his jacket in time to get to Stiles.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun Dun Dunnnnn. Almost finished!

Fingers rapped against Stiles’ window, startling him out of his embarrassment induced trance. “It’s me.”

Derek. That didn’t exactly make Stiles feel better. When that video played Derek tensed up and didn’t even say anything. He didn’t even look like any of what Stiles was saying affected him, and Stiles kind of had a big speech planned, okay? Even factored in some points in case Derek argued about not being good enough. But no, Lydia had to even the playing field and show Derek the video of him confiding in Scott. _I should have known better after she showed me his video._

Stiles sighed, “What is it?”

His visitor shifted from foot to foot, “Can I come in?”

Stiles frowned but popped the lock on the passenger door. His lips were pressed in a line and his heart was scrabbling against his ribcage. Derek just stared at him through the dim light that dusk had brought on, unreadable expression on his face. Stiles shifted nervously, “What?”

There was a long moment of pause, and just when Stiles was going to begin again he heard, low, “You knew.”

There was no heat behind the words but to Stiles that almost made them just as scary as if there were. Apprehension was there in its place. “Well, no – I. It’s just.” He groaned and let his head hit the seat behind him. “Lydia showed me the live feed of the house the other day, she must have been editing or something, and you and Erica were there.”

Derek tensed visibly and looked straight ahead, “How much did you hear?”

Stiles bounced his knee in a fervent attempt to expel his nervous energy so it wouldn’t come out as word vomit. “I heard almost everything. I heard a lot. Like a lot a lot. All your declarations of love a lot –“

“Stiles.”

“Right, sorry.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

He chewed at his lips before responding, “I wanted to get it right. I wanted to ask you out on a proper date. I wanted to wait until this was all finished. I just,” He shrugged. _Abort mission. Abort, this is going horribly wrong._ He let his head fall against the steering wheel. “This is going nothing like I had planned.”

There was an obvious tension in the air, all the words left unsaid in the present, to each other.

Derek huffed, “What was your contingency plan?”

Stiles couldn’t help but grin. The man knew him. “I didn’t have one. I _don’t_ have one. I was hoping for once I could kinda get it right on my own.” He gave a lopsided grin. “Guess we’re both past doing things on our own though, huh?”

Derek’s jaw twitched, “I guess so.”

~

Derek had gone back inside after that. Stiles hadn’t really wanted to go back in, and said as much, so Derek braved the storm without him. For him? Stiles tried not to think about it too much. Tried not to think of the delicate something that was still forming between them. Or trying to at least.

Somehow, **days** passed with very little comment from the pack, most likely due to a mean glare from one chiseled alpha. Stiles couldn’t quite figure out if that was good or bad because the radio silence had extended to the wolf as well. _Maybe he’s backing out_.

Despite his better judgment, and every fiber of his being telling him to enjoy the calm, Stiles found himself vibrating out of his skin. It was _too_ quiet. He rubbed the heels of his palms into his face and made his decision, one he was totally going to regret halfway there. He was **_so_** going to talk to Derek Hale, and he was **_SO_** going to lay his cards on the table. It wasn’t like Derek didn’t feel the same way, right? _Shit, what if he changed his mind_? No matter. Stiles was doing it. He was going. _I don’t wanna do it._ He was doing it.

Begrudgingly he stepped into his bathroom and fiddled with his hair. It was already just the right amount of mussed but controlled. He pulled his bang-around shirt off and searched for something even Lydia would approve of. He sighed and settled for a simple black tee, knowing he couldn’t achieve that level of perfection without her there, and kept his jeans on. _Why am I even thinking this hard about clothes?_ Stiles grumbled and flipped the light switch somewhat forcefully before grabbing his keys and hopping out of his front door. _Let’s just do this._

~ 

Stiles wanted the element of surprise, needed it. Everyone else had taken most of the decisions out of his hands these past few days when it came to his love life. That being said, he parked his jeep at the end of the street, added benefit being he got to pace and fidget and shake out his limbs for a bit while he made his way up to the house.

The added benefit was moot though because Stiles had only managed to give himself more time to freak out about it. He knew, logically, that it was ridiculous to get so worked up, but he lusted after Derek for at least two years and in between relationships started to realize why there was even an in between. Derek was why.

He ran his fingertips through his hair and exhaled deeply before sucking in a greedy lungful of breath to steady himself. He knocked on the door and hummed a little something to gather strength and energy from his surroundings, steeling himself for the not so big reveal. Derek opened the door in what Stiles interpreted to be forced nonchalance. Nevertheless, he brushed past the wolf to stand in the foyer. “ ** _You_**.”

Derek blinked and looked outside, shutting the door once he was sure no one else was coming. “Me?”

Stiles pressed a finger to Derek’s sternum and tried to ignore the tingle that shot up his spine. “Yes. You. You kissed me. You kissed me and then you didn’t say anything afterwards. And then when everyone else brought it up you still dodged the topic even while on it.” He stepped into the wolf’s space and poked him once more, “You.”

Derek raised an eyebrow but his expression had been schooled into something calm and powerful. “Me.” He sighed, “Yes.”

Stiles dropped his hand. “Yes?”

Derek rolled his eyes, “I kissed you, yes.”

“Why?”

Oh that must have been rich because the wolf looked like he was in pain. Whether it was for Stiles’ obliviousness or the fact that he was being made to say it out loud, Stiles was unsure. “I kissed you because –“

Stiles hovered, “Becaaaause?”

“Because you were so perfect in that moment.” Stiles flinched, not expecting that but Derek wasn’t even finished. “You were so earnest and so happy just to be taking care of something for those people. Like you always do. You always help the pack and others in need and you don’t even think to ask for thanks. Or expect it. You just do.”

Stiles’ heart was in his throat, “W-Why didn’t you say anything…” He gestured backwards as if the time was personified behind him.

Derek shrugged, “I didn’t have the words.”

Stiles huffed, “Do you have the words now? I mean you’ve been quiet for days and I didn’t exactly expect you to come out and say everything but you didn’t say _anything._ Didn’t even react.” His voice grew smaller towards the end.

A brief hint of hurt flashed over Derek’s face. “I didn’t – God I wasn’t sure if you were ready. You looked mortified when the clip played and then you said that it wasn’t how you planned it. I just thought you weren’t ready. That you still loved Ethan or-“

“Whoa, hold it right there.” Stiles waved his hands outward, “I’m gonna say something and I just need you to let me go all the way through. No interruptions. Got it?”

Derek eyed him, “Like you interrupted me?”

Stiles raised his eyebrows and ground his teeth, “Got it?”

The wolf nodded though he seemed to only be doing so because he’d been caught off guard.

Stiles tilted his head upward at the ceiling, exhaled, and then took one step towards Derek, “In the time that has passed since I caught Ethan cheating and the time that you have been silent I’ve had countless hours to think about something.”

Derek’s gaze went hard and he nodded again.

“That something – that something is you. Derek Hale, I have feelings for you,” He stepped forward again and scrounged up the courage to say this all while looking the man square in the eyes, “I have been tethered to you for quite some time now. I realized shortly after my breakup with Ethan that he never even had my heart. He had my trust, and while that’s something that’s nearly as important as my heart, it still isn’t the real thing.”

He rubbed his hands up through his hair, gently tugging at it. “You. It’s you Derek. It’s been you for a while now. I just didn’t think I had a chance.”

The air was electrified and the tension was practically sparking to life. Derek’s eyes flashed red as he stepped forward, “You.” Derek crowded him against the stairwell banister.

Stiles grabbed one of the poles behind him and stayed strong, “Me?”

Derek nodded, just a hairsbreadth away from his lips, “You confound me. You get under my skin like nothing else. When you touch me it’s like you’re setting every one of my nerves on fire.”

He skimmed a hand up Stiles’ arm and then to his neck causing the witch to shudder. Stiles let out a shaky breath, “Wait until I tell you how it feels when you touch _me._ ”

Derek’s eyes gleamed red around the edges of his pupils and his chest rumbled. “Stop talking. It’s my turn now.”

Stiles narrowed his eyes, “Bossy.” Derek growled again and pushed his face into Stiles neck before – “Ow, jesus warn a guy before you bite him.”

The wolf ignored him and licked a line up and across the mark before breathing out against it slowly. This time Stiles was shuddering for a different reason. One he hoped Derek didn’t smell.

“You knew.” Derek’s voice was small. Realization dawned on Stiles. _He’s just as scared as me._

Stiles tugged the wolf away from his neck and pressed his hands on either side of his face, his thumbs resting at the edges of Derek’s lips. “I knew.”

“You’re here.”

Stiles searched the man’s eyes for something, anything. And there it was. He could feel the anxiety buzzing at the surface but when he plunged deeper there was anticipation, a smidge of hunger, something warm and bright that matched the same part of Stiles and – and. _Hope._ Stiles ghosted a thumb across Derek’s lips and what he said next only came out as a whisper, “I’m here. I’m always here.”

And just like that the cloying tension in the air sparked and gave way. Derek let out a wounded sound and curled into Stiles, pressing his lips forcefully against the witch’s. It was nothing like their first kiss. It was bruising and forceful and clingy, like Derek was grasping onto Stiles as if he were a link to reality.

Stiles pushed Derek back so that he could extricate himself from the bannister. He was back up against the wolf before the frown could fully form, grabbing his face and kissing. Derek’s tongue swept across Stiles’ lips and when Stiles didn’t open soon enough for his liking his was nipping at him. Stiles parted his lips in a tiny sigh and met the wolf’s tongue halfway. Derek gripped at his back and Stiles responded by wrapping his arms around Derek’s neck. He broke away from the kiss to speak but Derek continued onto his neck, biting where he had before, gentler this time around.

“Hnn- Derek, Derek we need a bed, a couch, someth – ahh _hhhh_.” Derek laved at the bite he had just made and Stiles could swear he felt a smile forming against his skin. He poked the wolf in the ribs, “Hey, bed, now.”

Derek’s eyes were alight with mischief, “Bossy.” His hands fell to the backs of Stiles’ thighs and he hefted him up. Stiles tugged Derek’s hair to expose his neck and bit him in much the same fashion as he had dealt Stiles. The growl Derek gave was enough to have Stiles’ cock jumping to attention.

They ended up nowhere near a bed, detouring into the kitchen. Before a word could be uttered Stiles was sitting on the center island and his shirt was being pulled off. Breathless he tried to bite back a smirk, “I thought no asses were allowed on the counters.” He dropped his hands back behind him to balance himself.

Derek pushed Stiles’ legs apart and stepped between them, He stared deeply into Stiles’ eyes and rubbed his palm against the forming erection. He couldn’t help the moan that escaped if he tried. “I told you, this ass owns the counters.”

Stiles fought to speak as Derek mouthed at his neck and up to the sensitive spot just behind his ear. The stubble burn was going to be killer. “O-Oh. So I can only sit on this counter when you’re going to fuck me?”

Derek’s chest was rumbling again and he tweaked Stiles’ nipple. He did not squeak all right? He was a man. “Who says I’m going to fuck you?”

Stiles’ turn. He centered his palm on Derek’s chest and pushed him back, sliding down off the counter. He kept pressing until Derek was against a wall and dragged his free hand up Derek’s thigh, pressing firmly over his length. Apparently Derek couldn’t bite back his whimpers either. Stiles licked across Derek’s lips and backed away before Derek could catch him. “I do. Either you fuck me, or I fuck you.”

Derek’s bottom lip trembled but his gaze was an unrelenting red. His voice was gravely as he spoke. “Yeah?”

Stiles leaned in and mouthed at his neck, nipping a line up to his jaw, his hand rubbing Derek through his jeans. “Mhmm.”

Stiles was glad the house was soundproofed.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not one known for stellar endings but I hope you all enjoy it. Happy Valentine's day!

Derek’s mind kept flashing back to the night before as he pressed at the mark on his neck in the mirror.

_Derek had Stiles pressed against the headboard, one of the witch’s hands grasping at it and the other digging into the wolf’s shoulders as Derek thrust into him. Stiles was very vocal, he whispered filthy promises and praise, and moaned as Derek tilted his hips just right, hitting that sweet spot. Stiles slid his hand up to Derek’s neck and brought him forward to his mouth, hot, wet breath coating the thin layer of sweat they had managed to build up. Derek arched into the touch and gave one nice hard thrust. Stiles all but screamed and bit down on Derek’s neck, **hard**._

He wanted to keep that mark, at least for a little bit before it faded away like all bruises do. He liked the way it looked.

Derek smiled faintly and stepped out into his bedroom. Stiles was starfished across the bed like it was his and in all honesty Derek would let him have it. He’d give just about anything for Stiles, not that he needed to; he had him now.

He sat at the side of the bed and trailed his hand up the man’s back, nice black lines spreading across it. Derek wasn’t the only one with a nice tattoo, Stiles had a tree that was etched up his spine. His magical anchor. It moved and breathed with the witch, boughs twitching to life under Derek’s touch.

This wasn’t Derek’s first time seeing it, wouldn’t be his last either, but that didn’t stop him from taking in the sight with utter amazement. There really wasn’t a single dull part of Stiles. Every bit of him commanded attention.

Stiles grumbled and turned towards the source of heat. His hair was a mess and his speech was slurred. “Come back t’bed.”

Derek would never admit to anyone, aside from Stiles, maybe, how adorable he found the sight. He shook his head and peeled back the covers to wrap himself around the man. Stiles sighed, content, and brought a hand back to shove Derek’s face against his neck. Derek huffed but allowed the man to pull him close. He tucked his nose into the space between his shoulder and neck and breathed him in.

Today he smelled like the earth after a rainstorm, contentment, and _them._ Their scents were wound so tightly together they were almost undistinguishable. A new entity in it of itself.

Derek exhaled slowly which apparently tickled because a hushed laugh escaped Stiles. The witch tilted his head back, smile pulling at his mouth, “Do I smell good?”

Derek didn’t want to ruin the moment with his words and just pressed further into the crook of his neck. Stiles scratched his head and then wiggled back, there was no space left to breach but Derek didn’t mind. Stiles grabbed Derek’s thigh and pulled it over his body and then patted Derek’s arm, waiting. Derek complied and then pulled Stiles against his chest. Stiles wasn’t the only one dissatisfied with the space between them.

The witch hummed happily and then slowly, his heartbeat calmed into a steadier beat. Derek’s own followed suit and he was quickly falling back asleep too. Best sleep he’d had in years. 

~

**EPILOGUE: ONE YEAR LATER**

 

“What’s he doing now?” Stiles was scrambling against his back, practically piggyback riding him. The fire escape may have been cramped but there was no need to be _that_ close. At least not while they were watching Ethan.

Derek poked him under the armpit and was rewarded with a squeak, and some sweat. He frowned and wiped it on Stiles' shirt. “He’s getting into his car.” Stiles scratched his back and Derek fought the urge to do what Stiles called “wolfy purring”. It felt nice and he didn’t care about the way his chest rumbled in agreement. “This is the last one, what did you do?”

Stiles smiled into his neck before dropping a peck onto it. “You’ll see.” He dragged his hands around to the front of the wolf and hugged him closer.

He could smell the anxious excitement building in the witch. Lemony. Ethan opened his door and got in. As he closed it the airbag ejected, dusting him in a fine white powder. Derek tried to turn back to Stiles but the man pushed his face back to the scene.

Ethan punched at the bag and ripped it off which only served to expel a mound of glitter. Enraged, he angrily tugged off his seatbelt and slammed the car door, which caused the window to spider and crack. Everything he did set off another unfortunate mess until his car was a pile of cracked glass and glitter.

Stiles was laughing into Derek’s neck, shaking the two of them. Derek rolled his eyes, “Happy now?”

Stiles answered with a pinch, “I’ve _been_ happy.” He sighed and stood, and Derek rose from his crouch and stretched his limbs. Stiles had talked Derek into doing one last thing with him stating that it had to be done somewhere down the road, a year to be exact, because Ethan had stolen a year and a half of his time.

Derek didn’t much care for the idea, but it was Stiles and he could very rarely say no. Well, he could rarely say it **and** mean it.

Stiles smiled softly, somewhere far off, not really looking at Derek. His scent had warped into the smell of fresh tea and warm honey. He was at ease, relaxed. Derek loved that smell. Loved the way it tasted on Stiles’ skin. He wondered why he was smelling it now. “What is it?”

Stiles’ eyes fell to him. His amber gaze was open and magnetic, pulling Derek closer. “I was just thinking that I should thank him.”

Derek frowned, “Ethan?”

The witch’s smile grew and the far off look returned as he whispered. “Yeah.”

“Why?”

He sighed and pressed a hand over Derek’s heart, “Because he got me to you.”

Derek closed his eyes and calmed his heart. Even a year later Stiles had it beating out of his chest in his moments of sincerity. He figured that would never stop happening. Stiles pressed a chaste kiss to his lips, soft and sweet, and Derek thanked the moon that he was so lucky. He murmured against Stiles' lips, “I love you.”

He opened his eyes to pools of honey and the smell of rain. Stiles kissed Derek’s nose and rubbed his own against it before answering, as he always did, with, “I love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To motivate myself I'm gonna add a little excerpt from this other piece I'm working on. This one could easily be longer than this piece though and i'm only 5k in. Here it is:
> 
> "Once he’d freed himself, only a minute or so later, he stepped outside ignoring the damage, knowing all too well it was going to be awful, and turned back towards the road he’d just veered off of. Nothing. Stiles walked to the middle of the street, now soaked to the bone, and saw nothing. /Great I just swerved off the road, hit a tree, and probably broke a rib, for nothing./  
> He turned towards his car and was stunned to find someone standing a few yards away. His heart raced and a panicky feeling crept across his skin achingly slow and all too familiar. “Hello?” Okay so maybe there was something.  
> The person didn’t respond. They only moved closer, agonizingly slow. The rain bubbled around them, never seeming to actually make contact. It wasn’t until they got close enough that Stiles realized the person he was looking at was… him. Stiles was looking directly at a mirror of himself. "


End file.
